A Collection of Short One-Shots
by Rizzy.and.Izzy
Summary: A collection of very short one-shots, following no specific timeline or plot. Latest Chapter: "Dancing" Sometimes Maura dances for Jane. (Ongoing collection, even though it's marked complete.) Thank you so much for reading! :)
1. Stress Relief

** Stress Relief**

* * *

Maura Isles has a secret. She steals away to her office and locks the door behind her. There is only one thing that will do in times like this. When it all gets to be just a little too much. When she gets just a little too stressed, there is only one thing she wants.

She slides open the lowest drawer on the left hand side of her desk and reaches in for the hidden temptation. She wraps her hand around what she thinks is the sinfully delicious treat. What would people think if they ever found out? Instead of pulling out the desired item, her clutched hand opens and reveals a hastily written note. The handwriting announces itself to her instantly as the chicken scratch that is so uniquely Jane's. "Your secret is safe with me, Dr." It's then that Maura's grin most resembles Jane's sideways smirk. Her girlfriend has found her stash. Oh, the implications. Oh, indeed. Her grin gets wider.

Maura's hand ventures inside the drawer again and this time successfully pulls out what she was reaching for the first time. A Twinkie. Maura's one true guilty pleasure. She loves to hear the crinkling of the wrapper as she opens it.

When Maura found out the company was closing, she bought up all the remaining snack cakes she could. And with her financials it was easy enough to secure most, if not all, of them. She had thought about buying out the company, but hesitated at the potential embarrassment of that making the news. _Mysterious benefactor saves factory to ensure production of favorite snack._ She could do without that bit of information coming out, especially if her identity came out with it.

So she only allows herself one Twinkie when she desperately needs that stress relief, to keep her supply lasting as long as she can. Luckily they have quite a long shelf life. Their drawer life, however, may end up being quite significantly shorter. Especially since Jane is now aware of where she hides them. But as Maura takes her first bite of the too-sugary, too-sticky sweet treat, she thinks she just might be okay with Jane knowing. So long as it's only Jane.

* * *

_I hope you liked this short and sweet little one-shot. I have a few other really short stories like this one that I can share if you'd like. I was planning on adding them as chapters to this story. So if you liked this chapter, please make sure to follow this story so you don't miss any other chapters. The other one-shots don't really follow any timeline or plot. In some Jane and Maura are together, in some they are still just friends._


	2. Framed

_Written as a companion piece to the first chapter. This is Jane's version._

**Framed_  
_**

* * *

She knew there was something Maura was hiding in her desk drawer as soon as she had seen her face. She had innocently wanted to surprise Maura a little bit before their lunch date. But as soon as she saw the look on her girlfriend's face as she quickly stood up and turned away from the desk to face her, she knew Maura was hiding something in there. And whatever could cause that reaction was something Jane had to find out about.

Jane hadn't been totally surprised by it. Initially she would have thought it to be a drawer full of fudge clusters, but she would've left the note all the same. Although everybody already knew about Maura's addiction to fudge clusters, she was sure not everyone knew about this. Jane felt a sort of kinship via cover-up with Maura right then. They were accomplices of the cutest variety. She would never tell her secret to anyone, never let other people know what Maura kept hidden there.

As she writes the note, alerting her girlfriend to the fact that she has found her hidden stash, she wishes she could see her face when she finds it. It would probably have been much like the way she reacted yesterday, when she thought she had been found out then. Maura could get this look on her face, like she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar, even if it was over the most simplest of things. She was a bit bothered that Maura thought having a sweet tooth was something she had to hide. But she loved that she was the only one who got to know these things about Maura. So Jane left the note (and took one of the twinkies as her reward) and went back to her department, back to her desk.

It was well into the late afternoon when she realized she hadn't seen Maura since that morning. They had both come into work together, still chuckling over Maura being "found out" the day before. It had turned out to be the kind of a day where they had just missed each other. One was just arriving and the other was just leaving. One of those days where they just could not connect.

So Jane waited as long as she could before indulging in her little bit of guilty pleasure. She hadn't needed it nearly as much lately, especially not since she and Maura had finally started seeing each other. But with them just not being able to cross paths for such a large part of the day, she found herself craving it even more than she used to.

She waited until Frost had turned his head and she had just a little bit more privacy at her desk. She squeaked her chair over to the left side of her desk and slid open the bottom drawer. Expecting to see what she would readily admit to as her salvation during the darkest of times, instead she sees a note. This note being written in the most immaculate handwriting. Uniquely and only Maura's. "Two can play at this game, Detective." And where she would normally find the single frame of a solitary picture of Maura that Jane's had for years, she instead finds a new picture of the two of them, taken only a few weeks earlier. It was at the office birthday party for Korsak. She had almost forgotten it had been taken. It was a simple photo, not really meant to be anything at all really, given the context it was taken in. At the time Jane had barely even noticed the light of the flash when it was taken.

The picture, which had been cropped to show just the two of them, was a smaller part of a much larger landscape. What was originally a sea of people, them being just two out of almost thirty in the office, standing together near the edge of the photo. You could very easily miss them if you didn't know they were there. But in this photo, they had been zoomed in on and spotlighted as if they were the only two people there. They had been given their own context. In it, Jane was smiling and looking at Maura. Maura was smiling and looking at Jane. The picture was of just the two of them, and in that instant snap of the camera, that flash of light, it had felt like it was just the two of them. It was almost as if time had stopped in that photo, and could still be stopped just by looking at it.

They hadn't been dating when that picture was taken, but they were now. They hadn't told everyone yet, but Jane felt a few people already knew. As she sat at her desk, bottom drawer open, chair leaning just a little bit to the left, she wonders how Maura managed to photoshop and crop the picture... It's then that she thinks Frost must be one of those few who knows. He knows his way around most technology, surely photoshop was easy enough for him. She thinks she just might be okay with Frost knowing. So long as it's only Frost... And maybe Korsak... She knows she'll end up telling everyone sooner or later, but for now she likes that it's only just a few people close to her that know. That's how Jane has always preferred it.

* * *

_Just wanted to let everyone know that in the next chapter, the one-shot is probably going to take place before Jane and Maura are together. Just wanted to warn you about that. ;)_


	3. Yard Work

**Yard Work**

* * *

Maura always has a way of getting exactly what she wants from Jane, with little to no effort. Today is no exception. Jane is on her knees in the hot sun, deep in dirt and mulch and roots and why did she agree to this again? This is Maura's backyard. Maura's gardening tools. Maura's new plants that she bought from the nursery. Yet, this is Jane actually planting them. Jane the one sweating and playing tug of war with the weeds. And for what? It's not like she'll actually be the one to look out the kitchen window every morning and enjoy them.

Jane chances a look towards said window. She can see Maura starting to make herself an espresso. Maura then proceeds to scrunch up her nose, which in turn causes Jane to suddenly react and do the same. Jane then sees that Maura's gotten out her can of instant. After her initial grimace she then gives a huge follow up grin, which Jane also unconsciously mirrors. Both women now clearly thinking of the other one. Maura puts down the instant coffee container and chances a look out the window, over at Jane. Both women lock eyes with each other, sharing that same huge grin from seconds ago, and maybe even a new blush or two. They stay in this moment for only a short time, before they go back to what they were doing.

With a renewed vigor Jane goes back to planting the flowers. She might not be able to see them everyday, but Maura will. And Jane never does anything half way. She wants to plant these flowers with a skill that would make the world's best landscaper cry. But that isn't why Maura asked Jane to do this for her today. She wants those flowers to look like they were planted by none other than Detective Jane Rizzoli herself. She wants them planted randomly, not in a perfect line, not with the same amount of space left inbetween each plant. She wants them to grow and overlap each other, overtake each other, be both wild and expansive. She wants them to be just like Jane. She wants Jane to put them in whichever place, whichever pattern just feels right to her. She wants to be able to look out at them and instantly be reminded of Jane. If she can't have Jane physically there with her every day, she at least wants to be surrounded by as many reminders of her as possible.

* * *

_Can you tell that I really want it to be Spring already? For those of you who will also be dealing with this blizzard about to hit the North East, please stay safe and warm. I hope you enjoyed this little ditty. _


	4. Again

**Again**

* * *

With my left hand supporting the back of her neck, I gently rest her head upon the pillow.

She hasn't said anything since she walked into the bedroom, but it's only just now starting to concern me.

Above her, I try to bring myself as close to her as I can so she knows I'm here. That this is just as much about her as it is about me.

I come to the realization that I haven't said anything since I walked into the bedroom, either.

The haze of each other has been the only thing in our line of sight all night.

The silence suddenly making itself known to us, snapping us out of the daze and letting us see slightly beyond each other, though not too far. We neither need nor desire to see much beyond ourselves tonight.

I smile down at her. I smile down to her. Down...

Could that be a bit of her discomfort, the cause of her quietness?

I whisper, just as quietly, "Do you want to be on top? Because if you do, that's okay. I wouldn't mind."

"No, that's okay."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

This is not the first time I've done this, not by far, but it feels like it.

We had both undressed in silence, but our bodies were in constant contact. They were our words.

I decide to continue this way of communicating.

I wrap my arms around her and flip her over anyway. So that she's now on top.

She giggles a bit, and I am sure that that sound is what circulates the blood thru my body. That my heart is secondary, precautionary. A just in case, in case she isn't there.

All I want is to feel her skin on my skin. I focus on that and it satisfies me more than anything, more than everything.

I look up at her. And she looks down at me.

"It's different like this, isn't it?"

"Yes." And that giggle again.

And again, and again.

And again.


	5. 15 Minutes

**15 Minutes**

* * *

Half asleep, she turns on her side. She groggily opens one eye. She tries to stretch out, and shake off the last bit of slumber, only to find she can't straighten her arms or legs fully.

_Oh, right. I fell asleep on the couch last night_, she reminds herself.

And that's when it hits her.

_Where is he?_

She had fallen asleep on the couch… with TJ.

But TJ is no longer with her on the couch.

As she tries to stand up and find him, quickly, before anything bad happens, she trips on the blanket that she had forgotten was wrapped around her.

She doesn't remember that being there. Had she put a blanket over herself and TJ before irresponsibly nodding off?

It had been nearly impossible to get TJ to sleep by himself. Maura was extra sensitive to his plight. Him being dropped off on their doorstep, veritably given up as it were. Her own start in life was not so different. So she, and therefore Jane as well, were reluctant to completely wean him off this practice just yet.

If he needed the reassurance of a warm body always with him, they would give him that. Maura, saying that the prolonged contact and continued pairing would be good for him. Help him gain back that trust. It seemed a little bit odd to Jane. He's just a baby after all, and Lydia came back the next day. But it seemed to calm Maura, so she didn't push the issue.

They decided they would share shifts, so no one would actually be sleeping while TJ slept. Lest he roll over, or get hurt in any other way.

They had been successful at it so far. Up until this morning, that is. When Jane Rizzoli woke up, alone, fell off the couch, tripped on a blanket she didn't remember being wrapped up in and hit her head on the coffee table.

She's lying on the floor, thanking God they decided to have it carpeted, and thinking she's pretty sure she's gonna need a few stitches in her head. Thank you so much, mister coffee table. _Why didn't we carpet that, too?_

If she can't find TJ by the time Maura comes back, she'll probably be due for a couple thousand more stitches.

She looks at the clock to see how much time she has left. She's pretty sure Maura has gone out to the Market to get fresh fruit for the week. Ever since TJ had become a constant visitor to their house Maura had taken to blending her own baby food for him. She goes out every Friday morning to replenish her supplies. It's 7:45AM. She figures she has about 15 minutes until Maura gets home.

She can do this. She can find him, if she's quick about it.

She struggles to her feet, conscious of the blanket this time. She kicks it off her legs and walks towards the bedroom. _Maybe he's in his crib? Maybe he finally slept through the night by himself?_

She knows that's not true. She knows she slept with him on the couch.

_Why did I have to fall asleep?!_

She goes back to the living room. Checks under the couch. Nothing. Well, there's the remote to the CD player she'd been looking for, but no baby. She checks twice, although she's pretty sure she couldn't overlook a baby like she could a small remote.

She's running around from the kitchen, to the dining room and circling back around to the living room. She's like one of those Family Circus cartoons where little Billy's path is mapped out in dotted lines of where he's been. Her path could trace back along itself at least ten times over.

She's really getting scared now. This is beyond just a mistake. This is bordering on criminal now. She needs to place an Amber Alert, or a Code Adam Alert, or a… God damnit, she's a cop. Why can't she remember what to do in this situation?!

She's frozen in the middle of the living room. She can't move. This is more than just being afraid of Maura's reaction. This is her nephew.

This is her nephew.

Okay, facts. He is not here. He has to be somewhere else.

She takes her phone. She takes her keys. She takes off.

She will find him.

She runs towards the door, and that's when it hits her.

The door. It actually hits her. The heavy, wooden front door.

And the cut on her forehead that she had somehow gotten to stop bleeding during her running around, has started again.

She can't really see too well, and her head is pounding.

She thinks she's leaning against the wall, and maybe sliding down to the floor?

She thinks she hears Maura, and… TJ?

Is that him? Sort of half laughing, half giggling as she sort of half loses consciousness, half passes out from what must have been an almost 15 minute panic attack.

It was.

It is.

Maura _and_ TJ.

And Jane, barely conscious, bleeding from the head and sitting against the wall. Yet more relieved than she's ever been before.

"I can't leave you alone for one second, can I?" Maura, shocked into impeccable sarcasm.

...

It turns out Maura had seen Jane nodding off earlier and took TJ from her. She left a note saying that she had taken him to the Market with her and for Jane not to worry.

Well, that note had been blown clear across the room and under the closet door when Jane had fallen and kicked the blanket off. They had found it about a week later when they were spring cleaning.

Jane did indeed need two stitches in her forehead, but they were expertly done and left no scar.

All this explains why, a few weeks later, on Jane's forearm, in big bold black Sharpie, written in Maura's handwriting is:

_**Took TJ to Market**_  
_**Maura**_

Suddenly, Jane's hand reaches to her forehead and she remembers the episode of almost a month ago. Looks like Maura didn't want to take any chances with just a note this time. Opting instead for something a little more permanent.

It took 1.5 hours to wash the Sharpie off her skin. But her love for Maura grew more in those one and a half hours than she could have ever thought possible.

Maura and TJ, and a bunch of grocery bags, come home a little while later. Maura sees the slightly reddened skin on Jane's forearm and flashes her a slightly guilty smile.

"Sorry about that. I couldn't find any post-it's."

Jane looks at Maura, a little displeased, but mostly okay with what had happened.

"I'll make it up to you later. I promise." Maura winks after speaking.

Jane looks at Maura again, and she is definitely more than okay with what had happened. And she will be just as okay with what will apparently be happening later, too.


	6. So Worth It

_Utterly and completely blackmailed into writing this by PurpleCardi... _

_;) J/K (thanks for the ending!)_

**So Worth It**

* * *

It is indeed a fact that Jane can't ever say no to Maura. And it is also true that Maura is a lot more adventurous than Jane. So it stands to reason that when Maura asked Jane this rather outlandish request, she'd say yes.

And she did. Hesitantly though, but she did.

To say Jane was a bit unsure, would be an understatement. Raised Catholic, it went against her natural inclinations. But when Jane saw Maura's face looking so hopeful that this might actually happen, that the risk she took in confessing her closely guarded secret might be worth it, Jane just couldn't say no. Of course she couldn't. She wouldn't ever break Maura's heart like that.

Even when she found out that Maura wanted her to dress as Santa Claus just for her on Christmas, she was powerless to say no.

She looks at herself, standing in front of the full length mirror in the bedroom, all decked out in the bright red Santa Claus costume. She's glad she didn't say no.

Taking in the her reflection in the mirror, she actually doesn't think the costume looks that bad. Sure, it's mildly hilarious, and pretty ridiculous. But she actually kind of likes it. She's starting to feel sort of giddy. Like how she felt as a kid right before she'd storm down the stairs to see what the 'real' Santa had left for her the night before.

It's not your average Santa Claus outfit Jane's wearing, though. Oh, no. It would never be. It's a Maura Isles approved Santa Claus outfit after all. And she went all out with it. It's custom fitted to Jane's exact size and specifications. Clearly not "like a bowl full of jelly" like an actual Santa suit. It fits Jane pretty snuggly.

And Jane is certainly making it work for her body. Her long, lean legs filling every inch of the high quality tailored pant suit. Encircling the bottom edges of each pant leg is a line of tufted white cotton. Soft and fluffy and sparkling with what looks like glitter sprinkled on it too.

Jane is also wearing a white leather belt, and a deep red colored vest over a white shirt. The red vest has shiny white buttons, with a white strip down the middle, thick and velvety. The white shirt has the same subtle shine to it as the buttons do on the vest. The shirt also has the same white fluffy cotton around the cuffs as the bottom of the pants.

Maura really does know all about fashion. Jane can't even begin to think how a person could create fabrics like these.

Jane's still looking in the mirror, adjusting everything so that it's just right, when she suddenly realizes there's one piece missing.

Maura walks up behind Jane, and admires her in the mirror.

When they catch each other's eye, Jane does a half-serious eye roll. Trying to make it seem like this is harder than it is. When in reality, she would totally do this again just to see the look in Maura's eyes right now and to feel the way Maura's grasping onto her waist. Ever tighter.

Jane thinks to herself, "The things this woman can get me to do..."

And then Jane remembers the missing piece.

Jane turns to face Maura, and says, "Mrs. Claus, if you would be so kind as to do the honors..."

"Hat me, please."

Maura turns slightly to pick up the hat from the bed. She very carefully places it on Jane's head. This is one article of clothing that Maura did not give to Jane. This is the hat that Jane had given to Maura during their first Christmas together as a couple.

It's quite a few years old and visibly worn. The bright red hue, now almost completely faded to pink, but it's still the most priceless part of the whole costume. The most perfect piece. The item that if they had forever to inspect, they would never find even one flaw with it.

For this Santa Claus hat, barely with any red tinge left to it, that can't stand up no matter how hard they pinch it, signifies the two of them. Jane and Maura. The first Christmas they shared, truly together.

As Jane feels Maura put the sacred hat onto her head, and try to position it so Jane's curls don't knock it right back off, she wonders if this wasn't the whole reason for all of this in the first place.

Maybe Jane is Maura's present this year, hat and all.

They both turn back to the mirror to glance over the final product.

Jane Rizzoli, occasional Santa Claus stand in, and permanently whipped girlfriend.

And as Jane turns her head to look at Maura directly, she notices Maura has the same look on her face as Jane had when she was a kid running down those stairs at Christmas.

So worth it.

But she better not try to call her Janie Claus...


	7. One More Minute

_(I know nothing about cases or criminals, so that part might not be accurate.)_

**One More Minute**

* * *

She's been sitting at her desk for over ten minutes. The first half of that spent staring out the window. The latter half spent with her head in her hands.

She needs just one more minute.

One more minute to gather herself, to get it together. She knows she can do this. She can find the guilty man. She can find the answers.

This particular case has been even more daunting than usual. The list of suspects never dropping below four.

To find the right man she must first establish motive. To do this she must think like him. Get into his head and retrace his steps. She needs to be him.

No matter how many times she's done this, her reaction is always the same. Her body rebels, and her mind refuses.

It's her body's way of reminding herself that she is not like him.

It's her mind's way of telling herself that it does not want to understand him. It does not want to think like him.

How does she explain _to herself_ that this is her job? That she chose this profession because she wanted to help people, to right wrongs.

Inevitably, her thoughts will linger on other people, in other professions. People who also want to help, and who have found ways of doing that, where they aren't in constant danger. Where they don't have such a conflict within themselves like she does. And they still have a sense of accomplishment every day.

As she shifts a little in her seat, her aching muscles telling her that those other people probably feel a whole lot better, too.

It's this occasional, but constant struggle she has with herself. She was born to be a cop. She knows this. But sometimes, just sometimes, she seriously wonders if she wouldn't be better off doing something else. Something that her mind and body would be more accepting of.

Before she can even complete her train of thought, she feels the cold upon her.

It spreads along her back.

The first real smile she's had all day makes a tiny appearance along corners of her mouth.

Maura.

She's rubbing her back. Slow and steady, up and down.

Although Maura's not what's cold. Her hands are not what's cold. It's just the morgue that cools everything.

Maybe that's why Maura never gets headaches like this. Never finds herself with her head in her hands, sitting at her desk for who knows how long now.

Or maybe it's just because she's Maura. And even a headache wouldn't dare mess with her.

She lets herself enjoy this for a little while longer. Maura's thin, gentle fingers massaging up and down her back. If she could stretch a minute into an hour she would, just to be able to feel those fingers for a little while longer.

"Cavanaugh needs an update," she says, a little defeated. Using such a soft voice that maybe if no one hears her, she doesn't actually have to move. She doesn't actually have to get up and leave Maura's cool, yet slowly warming touch. She wouldn't have to admit to Cavanaugh that there is no update. That there hasn't been any new information on the case in days.

She starts to move her tired muscles to go talk to Cavanaugh, when she feels a firm pressure on her back. It's cold, but getting ever warmer.

"One more minute," Maura says as she continues to rub Jane's back.

If a headache knows enough not to mess with Maura, then Jane certainly won't either. She settles back down and lets Maura continue on.

No one in the squad room has a problem with this.

All they can think about is the case. All they can see is the case. They're all sitting at their desks, head in hands, even if they're still standing.

If anything, if they do take notice of it, it's not in a bad way. It's in a grateful way. A way that makes them wish they had someone like Maura to take them away from all this. If even just for a minute.


	8. Fail-safe

**Fail-safe**

* * *

This is her fail-safe.

The one thing she can do to get her to quiet down.

When Jane is in the middle of a nightmare, there's only one thing that Maura can do.

So she does it.

Once. Twice. Three times.

And Jane starts to calm.

Four. Five. Six times.

And Jane starts to relax even more.

Maura brushes the back of her fingers ever so lightly upwards, along Jane's jawline to her ear. The more times she does it, the more Jane settles. The more she centers. The more they both do.

When Jane starts to follow her, that's when Maura knows she's getting through.

Jane's face starts to follow her fingers, as if pulled by a magnetic force. As if, even in sleep, Jane knows that Maura's touch is the key.

Maura knows this by now, too. Knows what to look for to know that what she's doing is indeed helping.

Maura brings her hand higher along Jane's jawline. Sometimes she'll stop underneath Jane's ear, sometimes she'll keep going until she's well past her cheek. No matter which route she ends up taking, she'll see the small smile start to form on the same side of Jane's face.

With each new upward swing, that smile will appear. Disappearing only for a short time while Maura breaks contact to bring her fingers back near Jane's chin so she can start again.

The back of Maura's fingers trace along from Jane's chin to right under her ear, from her chin almost past her cheek. Maura alternates between these two places. But no matter where she ends up, a sleepy, lopsided half-grin meets her there every time.

Slowly, Jane finally stops fighting against whatever always tries to catch her at night, and she falls into Maura's embrace without restraint. She isn't struggling against anything anymore.

Maura holds her tight and continues her practiced touches to the side of Jane's face. Continuing for as long as a smile greets her there.

Only when Jane finally goes back to sleep, and that half-grin goes with her, does Maura stop.

She holds Jane tight with both hands, and places her lips on Jane's jaw instead. Her kisses now taking the place of her fingers.

And this is how Maura gets herself to go back to sleep after one of Jane's nightmares. Maura holds Jane as close to herself as she can, and kisses the side of her face until she accompanies Jane into slumber.


	9. Fortune Cookie

**Fortune Cookie**

* * *

She had been down all day, it was easy to see. And she made no attempt to hide it, either. Why should she? Everyone should be allowed to have a couple bad days, and considering this hadn't happened to her in a while she felt she was due a few.

But Maura would never let Jane wallow for long though. She never tried to change Jane's mood necessarily, but as a doctor, Maura knew more than Jane the healing properties of releasing tension as opposed to keeping it in.

And she did, she just didn't usually need to mention them as much around Jane. Sure, Maura would espouse the virtues of "immunoglobulin A" and how Jane could get that specific result. But with other results and in other ways, she was less vocal about with Jane.

Mostly because Jane had her other ways of physical releases firmly in check. She was diligent about going to the gym, boxing, even jumping rope. She had a lot of nervous energy and she always worked to stay on top of it.

So when Jane would get in moods where she got quiet, got stationary, that's when Maura knew Jane needed her. She wouldn't say so, and God forbid Maura call attention to it, but she knew when Jane needed her. And she was there. Always. In her own quiet way.

And so Maura had suggested they go out to lunch together. She decided upon a small Chinese place not too far from BPD. It wasn't the most nutrient rich food, but she loved seeing Jane fumble with the chopsticks before finally giving up and using the utensils. And the food itself was fun, too. The sodium would offer a momentary kick, a high. Not too much that there would be a drop, or a "crash" afterwards, just enough for a temporary elevation. When Jane would hopefully be more receptive to Maura's helpful words.

Maura and Angela worked starkly opposite in these ways. Angela would nag and be even more vocal when Jane was in distress. But Maura would work quietly, silently almost. And it had the loudest effect. It reverberated the strongest. Maura just always knew what to do and how to do it.

They were almost done with lunch, they were just waiting on the check and the two fortune cookies that always came last. Maura took this moment to excuse herself to the restroom. She knew Jane preferred paying when they went out to lunch and she didn't want to make a fuss about it today. Not today.

Usually, it would be a playful toss back and forth of who would end up paying, both knowing it would always end up being Jane. But Maura knew today it would not be as playful, Jane would be short and to the point. So Maura made the decision to excuse herself to avoid putting either of them on the spot.

Jane quickly paid the check when it came and took the two fortune cookies off the plate.

She put one on Maura's side and started opening hers.

Jane could see Maura out of the corner of her eye, making her way back to the table. How she seemed to be personally spotlighted by the low hanging lamps that decorated the ceiling of the restaurant. How each one seemed to shine on her, seemed to be there just for her.

Maura would smile at the waiters when they passed her. She had such a warm, welcoming face. And she would freely give of herself and her kindness to anyone she met. There were never levels to people, when it came to Maura. To her, everyone was the same. Everyone deserved kindness, and everyone deserved to feel loved.

Jane was just grateful that she was one of the people who got to witness Maura's smile. And that maybe, just maybe, Maura's smile seemed to be even warmer for Jane. That she gave to her a smile that she reserved just for her. Or it could just be Jane hoping that.

As Maura made her way back to the table and sat down, Jane gave her fortune cookie to Maura. "Here, I think I got yours by mistake."

Maura looked down at the fortune that Jane had given to her. She read it to herself.

_Seeing your smile always brings smiles upon others._

As Maura read the fortune, Jane saw that special smile Maura seemed to keep just for her, start to show itself on Maura's face...

"Yep. I'm sure of it. That fortune is definitely for you."

And just like that, both of them could feel Jane's mood shift, to something a little bit lighter, a little bit higher. A little bit better.


	10. Rondo

**Rondo**

* * *

Maura knows, despite her outward behavior around him, that Jane has always had a soft spot for Rondo.

But up until now, she's never known exactly how much of one.

They're just finishing up at a crime scene, making sure all the evidence has been bagged and tagged and put into the van when Maura overhears Jane say to Rondo, "If you ever need any help, quick, you call this number." There's been a steady rise in violence against the homeless lately and Jane is worried about Rondo. Maura is, too.

Maura turns her head just in time to see Jane pass him what looks to be a business card, only it's crumpled and crinkled. As if it's been in her pocket for years. Like she's had no reason to use it before now.

Maura knows it's the special number for the Boston Homeless Outreach Service. The toll-free, 24-hour number they give out to law enforcement personnel for use in extreme cases only.

Rondo puts the card into one of his many pockets. As he does this, Jane removes the blue glove from her left hand. She then puts her bare hand on his shoulder. It's her physical way of saying "goodbye" to Rondo.

She told Maura once that giving a verbal goodbye to Rondo was too tough for her to do. She never truly knew if she would ever see him again. She just couldn't finalize the end of every meeting with him like that, not knowing if it was their last or not.

Things like that would make Jane detest the limitations of her job, of the police force as a whole.

Jane isn't the reason Rondo ended up in the predicament he's in, but she hasn't been able to find a way to bring him out of it either.

Jane's always felt this to be a failure on her part. So she looks out for him as much as she can. This, she can do. This, she and Maura do together.

As Jane makes her way back over to Maura, Maura finds herself falling in love with Jane just a little bit more.

Maura was spot on when she described Jane as "deceptively complex" and it's only been proven more accurate the more she gets to know her.

As Jane gets closer to her, Maura supresses her need to mention the fact that the proper word she should have used was "quickly".

Instead, Maura does what Jane did with Rondo. She takes her blue glove off, puts her hand on Jane's shoulder and just leans into her.

It's what Maura does for Jane after every time she sees Rondo. Just in case it ends up being the last time she sees him.

Jane leans back into Maura, too.

They lean into each other, as they make their way back over to the evidence van.

As they walk, Maura comes to the conclusion that she's waited long enough. She is on the board of more committees than she can count. First thing tomorrow she'll start making the necessary phone calls. If she is successful, Rondo will be situated with a temporary (on his way to a permanent) residency by nightfall.

* * *

_I love Rondo. _

_I had to give him a positive ending._


	11. Midnight

**Midnight**

* * *

Her eyes wake up before the rest of her does. She stays in bed and lets the darkness and the stillness wash over her. She doesn't mind that she's woken up in the middle of the night. In the past if this were to happen her mind would immediately go to the worst case scenario, that a sound had woken her up or that something was amiss. But as she continues to lie in bed, allowing the silence to comfort her, she knows everything is fine. The more she focuses, the more she can hear the soft rhythmic breathing of the person sleeping beside her. Maura. The main reason for her calmness. The main reason why the darkness is now silent and comforting, instead of unsettling and unwelcoming.

When Jane had first started dating Maura and they'd be sleeping at her apartment, she'd often wake up during the night. But she wouldn't feel the serenity like she does now. She would feel the need to assure herself of her surroundings, of her safety. In an almost panicked state, she would look over to make sure Maura was still there. Her worst nightmare being that she wasn't.

But she was. She was always there. Every time Jane would look over, Maura would always be there.

Over time, Jane would wake up in the middle of the night less and less. Until it would only happen on rare occasions. She doesn't really want this to stop completely however, because it gives her a chance to appreciate Maura. In private and away from prying eyes. A moment just for Jane, where she can watch Maura sleep and feel that calmness settle in her chest.

And so, careful not to wake Maura, she turns onto her side and watches her sleep. Every breath she takes connects directly to Jane's heart. As long as Maura keeps breathing, Jane's heart keeps beating.

Before long, two small hazel eyes find her own. Even in the darkness, Maura can always find Jane.

And now it's Maura's turn to look. Her turn to make sure that Jane is still there, will always be there. Has always been there.

"Come here," she says in a sleepy whisper. Maura motions for Jane to come closer, to lie on top of her. This has always been her favorite position. With Jane on top of her, it reminds her of what it's like right after they'd made love. After they'd both reached the precipice together and fallen over it at the same time. They would both hold each other so close. It would almost feel like if they didn't, they could float away, never to come back down.

Maura wants that now. She wants Jane so close to her, feeling her as if she were inside of her, absorbed into every part of her.

She wants them both to hold onto each other so they don't float away.

Because it's such a fragile thing. This life. This love. And she doesn't want either of them to ever let the other go.

Jane knows what Maura wants. She knows what she needs, because it's the same for Jane. She feels like Maura is the one thing keeping her from truly losing herself, from floating away forever.

She rests her head on Maura's shoulder and simply holds her.

Like this, there's no differences between them. They are pieces of the same puzzle and they fit. They just… fit.

As they're both falling back to sleep, Maura whispers to Jane, "I know that you watch me like that and you think I don't know. But I do, and that's okay. Because sometimes I watch you like that, too."


	12. Dancing

**Dancing**

* * *

Sometimes Maura dances for Jane. She does it slow and soft and sweet. Most times she doesn't even need music for it to be something that turns Jane on utterly and completely. All Jane needs for that, is just Maura.

Tonight is one of those times. They never outright decide, the night just sort of decides for them. Things will start going in a certain way, they will look at each other in just the right way, and they'll know. They'll know what will be happening later.

And so after dinner, Maura comes into the bedroom where Jane has been waiting for her.

As Maura walks in, she proceeds to begin the dance that they are so accustomed to, so in love with, so in lust with.

Maura will move her hips in ways that make it seem like she takes Jane's heart with her for every motion. Each sway, each dip, will cause Jane's heart to seemingly sway and dip the same.

Most nights it would, that is. But not tonight. Tonight Jane is realizing something is not the same. She's watching Maura, slowly starting her seduction, but something's missing, something's different.

Jane isn't quite sure what it is, but she finds her body suddenly moving to find out. Jane gets up off the bed, and at this Maura stops her own movements. She looks at Jane with mixed confusion.

Jane walks up to her and puts her hands on Maura's hips. She tries to lead her to the bed, but Maura doesn't want to go.

Could it simply be that Jane doesn't want to wait? Does she want something else? "But don't you want this, Jane?" Maura asks plainly, for she wants to stay where she is and give to Jane all that she wants, all that she desires.

Most times, this dancing would do just that, but not tonight.

"I want to do this instead," Jane whispers to her. She makes no effort to divulge any more, and Maura knows not to ask her to. Jane is much more confortable with just showing her, and since that's usually quicker than explaining anyway, Maura lets her.

Jane walks them over to their bed. She motions for them both to lie down. Jane takes her time, and so Maura does too. It's not rushed, it's easy. They both climb into bed, and nestle under the covers. They nudge as close to each other as possible. Almost too close. It's the way they both prefer it to be, if they're being honest. They like it when they're almost on top of each other. They fit the best this way.

When Jane feels that they are finally settled, she lets out a deep, contented sigh and says just one word. "This."

"This what, Jane?"

"This is what I want." Jane holds Maura even closer to her, flush along almost every part of her.

Tonight there is nothing more that Jane wants, nothing more that she desires, other than Maura. Just simply Maura. Not doing anything. Just being there. Being with her.

Body on body, skin on skin, almost heart on heart. Certainly pulse on pulse, the beating more than obvious against the other's sensitive skin. It is this low constant thrumming that Jane wants instead of Maura's hips moving from side to side. It's the breath escaping from Maura's lungs, rushing from her mouth. Crashing hotly onto Jane's skin as Maura exhales. And coldly creeping backwards, leaving goosebumps as she inhales.

Jane craves this alternating of temperatures on the outside, more than the constant heat that Maura's dancing creates in Jane on the inside.

Jane just wants Maura. Asleep on her chest and snoring softly, as she drifts deeper to sleep. This, nothing Maura could do while awake, could ever come close to the beauty and amazement she embodies while asleep. And it's with this wonder dancing in front of her eyes, this indescribable woman that is Maura, that Jane slowly finds herself falling alseep too.


End file.
